Gurrelieder

[ardcarp]

What a rare treat to hear a complete performance of this gargantuan piece, especially so in the hands of the most musical of conductors, Mark Elder.
Quite surprised not to find a thread about it...but here it is (if you've got a while to spend):

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08slwj4

[DracoM]

To celebrate his 70th? Elder's, I mean.............!!

[Roslynmuse]

DracoM - yes, indeed.

I was at the performance and it was quite extraordinary. A superb line-up of soloists, a beautifully blended orchestra (the combined Hallé/ BBC PO forces had only rehearsed together since the previous Tuesday, and had also put in an additional concert to raise funds after the Manchester Arena bombing the previous week), and a stunning chorus - that first "Holla!" pinned us all back in our seats, and the final chorus was a glorious release. Yes, it was loud in parts, but - like the Berlioz Requiem - we often forget how much quiet music there is. Elder's way with Wagner - to emphasise the intimate as well as the massive - was in evidence last Sunday night too.

[ardcarp]

...wish I'd been there.

[Simon B]

...wish I'd been there.

There's a relative glut of Gurrelieders over the recent past and near future. Especially given that the BBCPO/Hallé apparently last played it in 1966!

A thrilling performance (Runnicles/BBCSSO et al) at the 2016 EIF was also broadcast on R3 not so long ago.

Last week's Manchester performance under discussion here seemed a bit on the overly-leisurely side (Elder is never a man in a hurry) to me when I listened to the broadcast but I didn't notice that at all at the actual concert which was mostly pretty gripping. That said it did take the best part of 120 minutes to get through a piece normally quoted as 99!

There's another in a matter of mere weeks. Rattle/LSO etc etc at the Proms - Sat 19th Aug.

Then there's Philharmonia/Salonen at the RFH on 28/6/18.

Boom times for lessors of sets of orchestral chains then...